Trying Bar 3 Ranch meat had been on our family's bucket list for years, and finally, this past…read moreOctober, we managed to snag a half cow for this spring. When our date got closer, Jeff sent over the final weight for our share, and it caught me off guard because it was so much bigger than the past shares we've gotten through other local farms. As it turns out, there's a reason. When we picked up our meat, we found Jeff excited to share how he raises and feeds his cows and why, ultimately, his meat is far superior. (He didn't say as much, but as you can see by the photo, it's incredibly clear that there's no comparison.) We learned more about the care and feeding of cows that afternoon than we thought possible but we loved every minute. He was also great with our kids, taking them to see and pet his horses. Afterwards, he even called me to share his favorite recipe for flanken ribs. But how does it TASTE, you ask? As a reformed 25+ year vegetarian, I can't stand the smell of most grassfed beef that has come into this house. (We've done multiple cow shares before through other ranches, all the same - the smell is nauseating.) Bar 3 Ranch, though... totally different. There is NO gamey smell, no gamey taste and my husband gives me the side eye now because he has to share his steaks with me. It's GOOD. Like, REALLY GOOD. Words are probably not going to do this justice, so I'm attaching a photo of the difference between Jeff's meat and our last half cow from another/local ranch. There is just no comparison.

I picked up a quarter of a steer this morning and I am so excited. I went to the ranch and Jeff was…read moreso great to chat with. He explained all the unique things he learned in Argentina on how to properly raise cows. I could have listened to him talk about it for hours. The meat looks incredible and the marbling is amazing. I can't wait to cook something up this evening! I would highly recommend getting your beef from Bar 3 Ranch!!

Had such amazing experience , I can't wait to come back. I celebrated my birthday riding horses the…read morecrew there was extremely helpful patient and knowledgeable of the horses and trails. I would highly recommend anybody who's looking for an amazing horseback riding experience to come here

I came here with my family and was shocked. The horses are not fairly treated, we excepted to see…read morefirst class treatment of these horses and that was not the case. The employees seemed to not care about the well being of the horse and the land itself. It seems the owner only cares for her self interest and it shows in the operation. Don't come here.

What a lovely place to enjoy time with family and friends! 8 of us spent my 50th birthday here and…read moreloved every second of it. A real Texas experience with Buddy and Charmin, the longhorn steer. As an extra surprise, the beautiful Lisa had a nice bottle of bubbles chilled for us upon arrival. Get out of the city and visit!

From the owner: From wedding ceremonies and receptions to bridal showers, yoga retreats, art shows, rehearsal…read moredinners, anniversary parties, and photo shoots, Vista View Ranch offers a combination of areas, and spectacular surroundings: breathtaking Texas Hill Country views and our ranch is available year-round. Your celebration will be packed with memories to last a lifetime. We look forward to being part of your special day! Do your heart and mind a favor! Let nature calm your heart and ease your mind when you stay at Vista View Ranch. Built in 2004 Vista View Ranch sits on 11.26 acres of gorgeous rolling land with great views of the majestic Texas Hill Country. Beautiful post oak and live oak trees abound on the property. The ranch has a good amount of White-Tailed deer, Red Foxes and Jack Rabbits, 4 Texas longhorns, other Texas Hill Country birds and animals. Vista View Ranch is a secluded luxury ranch resort located just north of Austin, Texas. Uniquely situated Spicewood, the ranch offers direct entry from virtually all directions. Minutes from downtown Austin and a hop skip and a jump to Lake Travis and world famous Pedernales River. Vista View Ranch also was the former residence to a UT chancellor.

Best meat ever and Josh and crew are fantastic…read more Hoping they get back to doing the farmers markets

Amazing. I cannot recommend this ranch enough. We got a tour from Jason, and the hospitality we…read morereceived was outstanding. Really genuine Texan men. Would 100% recommend this tour if you're ever near Austin.

Camp Cowboy on Robison Ranch is an excellent experience made available for free to Veterans, First…read moreresponders and their families. You will learn every intricate detail involved with horsemanship and Ranching.I absolutely Love it...and I believe you will as well!

They are amazing welcoming people you are sure to have a good time and socialize Monday through…read moreFriday! You may also even learn a thing or two about cows, donkeys, and horses.

I wish I could give this ranch more stars. I stayed at the Tiny House for my birthday weekend. I…read moredecided to take a sort of retreat. I am a mother of 2 and a teacher, and I am never alone. I needed some solitude, peace and quiet. The moment I arrived at the house, my shoulders immediately relaxed and there was an immediate release of tension. Every aspect of the home whispered peace. I don't know how to explain it but it even smelled peaceful. Delana was the most amazing host. She surprised me with snacks and anything j could need for my stay was readily available. She even personalized items for my special needs. She gave me a tour of the property, including the beautiful pregnant cows. She gave me space when I needed it but let me be as involved as I wanted to be. I had the MOST incredible experience with the horses. She guided me through an exercise in which I felt healing in my spirit and connected on an energy level with the horses. It was the most remarkable experience and I took away so much from it that I can apply to my daily life. I could not recommend staying in this space that feels like a world away from the hectors of everyday life but is just a very short drive away! I am already planning my next stay!

From the owner: Take a break from the hustle and bustle of life while enjoying the exquisite beauty of Texas Hill…read moreCountry at Peaceful Spirit Ranch. As both a working ranch and a spiritual getaway in Georgetown, we're proud to share our deep connection with the land as well as the horses and dogs we raise. We offer solo and group accommodations ranging from afternoon visits to multi-night retreats. We give our guests the space to determine what they need out of their time on the ranch, though we also offer access to a variety of amenities to help make your stay comfortable and stress-free. We're just a few miles off of I-35 or a short drive north of Austin, but you'll feel miles away from the noise when you stay with us. Contact us today to schedule your next Peaceful Pause at Peaceful Spirit Ranch.

I have hunted at independence ranch 4 times and never had a bad experience, food is always amazing,…read morelodging is always clean, always plenty of animals around

My family and I have visited Independence Ranch twice. Our first experience was excellent. My…read moreoldest daughter and I attended after winning a raffle, and we had such a positive time that when I won another raffle, I was genuinely excited to return. Unfortunately, our second visit was extremely disappointing and left us frustrated enough that we will not be returning. For our second trip, I brought both my oldest and youngest daughters and paid extra for what the ranch calls the "Honey Hole" package. From my understanding, the main benefit of this upgrade was being placed in a hunting stand rather than walking through the woods. When we arrived, our guide gathered us along with several other hunting groups. He drew a map in the dirt next to my vehicle and instructed us to walk straight back from the truck until we reached a fence and our stand. He also warned us there were hunters to both the left and right of us and specifically told us to remain between those groups. I asked him twice to confirm: "We just walk straight out from my car and we will hit a fence and our stand?" Both times he answered yes. My daughters and I followed those instructions exactly. As we walked, we could clearly see the hunters to our left, so we intentionally stayed to the right of them. Eventually we reached a fence, but there was no stand. At that moment, we encountered several hogs. Rather than miss the opportunity, all three of us safely took shots and harvested three hogs. We only fired four shots total, all safely and responsibly. I have been hunting for 35yrs and both my daughters have beside me hunting since they were able to walk. At that point we realized we were lost, so I called the ranch exactly as instructed to report that we had harvested three hogs and needed help locating our stand. The guide arrived quickly on a side by side and immediately began yelling at us, accusing us of being nowhere near our assigned location. He claimed our stand was far to the left of where we were. I pointed out that we could still clearly see the hunters he told us to stay between. He also accused us of "shooting like crazy," which was completely untrue. I again reminded him that we followed his instructions to walk straight back from the vehicle. He responded by accusing me of lying and saying my truck was not directly behind us. I then pointed out our vehicle, which was in fact straight behind us exactly as described. The situation became even more frustrating when he drove over and began yelling at another hunting group -- a father and young son -- claiming they were too far to the right and had not followed instructions either. It was obvious they were just as confused as we were. He even recorded a video of them, saying it was to "save his job." Watching a father and child get treated that way was uncomfortable and unnecessary. To make matters worse, after all of this, we were told we needed to load our own hogs on the back of the side by side. During our first visit, the ranch staff handled all of that for us, so the inconsistency in treatment was noticeable. Considering the large amount of money spent on this trip, we did not deserve to be spoken to or treated in such an unprofessional manner. When we returned to camp, we informed the staff that we would be leaving after our hogs were cleaned. After the way we had been treated, there was no reason to stay. Even though I would be wasting a night in the private cabin that I paid for. The father and son from the other group also decided to leave early. The final frustration came when the same guide who had yelled at us approached privately at the freezer and asked for an additional tip "under the table." This was after I had already tipped the ranch boss, understanding that tips were meant to be distributed among the staff. I had absolutely no issue tipping the ranch itself and was already familiar with that process from our first visit. However, being treated disrespectfully and then asked for extra cash privately was completely inappropriate. I want to be fair and say the ranch owner appeared to be a good person, and the other workers we encountered were pleasant. Unfortunately, this particular experience overshadowed the entire trip. For the money spent, customers should expect professionalism, clear communication, and respectful treatment -- especially families hunting with children. Because of this experience, we will not be returning. There are many other outfitters available for Texas hog hunts, and I would encourage others to carefully consider their options before booking.

My 5 yr old grandson and I did the VIP private experience with tour guide Tucson along with the…read moreRhino experience , after which we drove through on our own.. This did make it more expensive, but for us it was worth it...We have been able to feed many giraffes, but never have met a rhino up close and my grandson loved being able to brush them and touch them.. I chose the private tour , so I could relax and enjoy it without having to drive...and all the info Tucson gave us on all the animals and all their programs made the drive back through on our own a lot more interesting. I was very impressed with their setup and how many babies they have.. I would recommend getting their early...The tour was a wednesday at 930 and we only had one other car on the road with us....when I drove back through , there was a lot of car stoppage , cause of course every car wants to stop for every group of animals and I will say the group at the entrance gate holds you for ranson so you better have food for them so you can get thru.. Didn't try the food , but the fudge at the restaurant was really good. The only thing I was disappointed in was the avairy...If you just want to see a lot of beautiful budgies and a few chickens, then go for it, but they had no interest in the food sticks and just flew away from it for the most part...We are used to the lorikeets that land on you, so my grandson was just bored with it...

We had a great time at Natural Bridge Wildlife Ranch! Took our 3yo daughter and 1 yo son last…read moreweekend. I thought the safari drive was just okay. First, I was a tad disappointed in the quantity of the animals out there. There were long stretches of the drive where I caught myself thinking, " there's nothing out here". Second, don't bother buying feed. A lot of the animals were more interested in food provided in their troughs than the passing vehicles. And, I have a feeling they're fed well enough ...they don't care if you're throwing food. Third, cars tend to bottleneck to look at NOTHING. I think the staff should do a better job explaining you can pass. At least I hope you can, because I did. I wasn't waiting for some of these people. Other than that, I thought the facilities themselves were clean, well lit, and impressive. They've got a great restaurant where you can have lunch (although I felt the prices were exorbitant as they often are with these "tourist traps"). They've got some great exhibits with monkeys and you can get pretty darn close to some giraffes. My little girl had a particularly good time in the aviary. Seeing her face as that bird landed on her stick was just the best. Solid gift shop. Overall, felt the cost was higher than necessary, but solid family outing. It's worth going.

Stayed here for a sewing retreat for 4 days and 3 nights. We were greeted by the staff and host…read moreupon arrival. We had to sign a waiver upon check-in. The sleeping quarters were next to the main lodge, but no elevator available to reach the 2nd floor in the sleeping quarters. So you had to take your bags up to your room, the staff did help a little. Each room provides single bed, unless you were housed in another room that provides a full size bed. The first night we were served dinner, which was really good. I believe it was a pork chop with mixed vegetables and we were served dessert. In the morning breakfast was served and we were allowed to make coffee/tea. The meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner was good. I did have an issue with one side dish that was served cold (mashed sweet potatoes). Overall food was good. The lodging was accommodating. Each bed had 2 pillows and the room was kept at a comfortable temperature. Our sewing retreat was held in a conference room that was able to hold over 30 occupants. The property is kept well.

I feel so honored and blessed to have recently attended a church event at this idyllic hidden…read moreretreat. The Jordan Ranch is quietly nestled away approximately a mile or so away from the Interstate-10 freeway. Upon entrance, you are greeted by cordial and personable employees who are happy to serve you throughout your stay. The lobby walls are adorned with pictures of prior guests and investors that let you know that this will not be a typical hotel stay but an experience that will be life-changing. The atmosphere is one of almost palpable tranquility. And, once I was able to walk around the premises, I discovered why: this solemn place has been dedicated to the Lord; therefore, it is holy. Honestly, I did not want to leave because of the serenity I experienced. The prayer walking trails help you attune your soul to God's metronome of creativity and rebirth. As I continued to walk, my mind was fascinated as I imagined whose great footsteps I was walking in as I continued on my uncharted course. The tall swaying trees seem to whisper the names of those whose lives have been transformed by God's cultivating tender Hands. Also, it appears that He was involved in the ornate architecture of the building because it is detailed with unique beauty, but yet it is exquisitely simple. The acres upon acres of green pasture allow you to ingest the sheer magnitude of the Father's infinite ability to correct that which is misaligned, to restore that which has been stolen, and to heal the wounded heart. The grazing cattle and the episodic sighting of deer attest to the Faithfulness of our God supplying our needs according to His riches in Glory. Also, the Ponderosa-styled wooden fences give you a quiet reminder that He keeps you protects you from harm. I recommend this soul-retreat resort for sabbaticals or the nurturing and restoration of marriages. Life-long memories can be added to your portfolio that will accumulate interest for seasons to come. The slow-paced environment allows you to gain insight into the matters that matter the most in life: family and the condition of one's soul. Thank God there are NO televisions; hence, you are more likely to engage in the various available activities that this gemstone offers. As a bonus, the food is scrumptious, and the fireside smores are delightful. But, be aware that there might be a couple of critters (small scorpions) that might want to join in on the festivities, so be sure to bring some Off spray. Wait, does Off spray repel scorpions? I am not sure. LOL. No, the scorpions are not plenteous, but you might see one ever so often. However, EVEN with the occasional nuisance of these arachnids, I did not let my fear of bugs deter me from enjoying my journey. Hopefully, my family and I will be blessed to go back and have a sequel to the beginning of a profound experience that will be included in the many chapters of our lives. Thank You, Heavenly Father, for giving the forefathers and investors the witty idea to make this diadem a reality. God, please keep the ground sacred, and do not let it become artificial and commercialized. Prosper the Jordan Ranch and keep the meekly honorable Pastor, his family, and staff safe from harm. May Your Anointing continue to saturate this place to bring healing to the nations. In Jesus' Name, we agree. AMEN! TWO THUMBS UP!